In statements after the meeting, at the beginning of a two-day official
visit to Qatar, Karamanlis referred to the present international
conjuncture in which the global economies were facing the heavy
repercussions of the international credit crisis, which was proving to
be of unpredictable intensity and duration.

He added that the governments have the duty to invest in strategic
planning, which could shore up the national economies against the
dangers and to release their developmental potential after the crisis.

The Greek government, he continued, has set out two chief targets: to
fortify the households and businesses against the impact of the
continuing crisis through a series of effective measures, and to
accelerate the implementation of any reforms necessary for the
structural reformation of the national economy, while at the same time
enhancing cooperation with the country's international partners.

A broad spectrum of prospects were examined during the meeting, with
emphasis on investments in the sectors of energy, transports, shipping
and construction.

Qatar, Karamanlis continued, was a country of geostrategic significance
in the region and with a dynamic economic growth, adding that the
presence there of major Greek construction companies was proof of the
common efforts in that sector.

To a question on the ailing national carrier Olympic Airways (OA),
Karamanlis said investments were discussed in many sectors, adding that
Qatar Airways was among the hopeful investors in OA, while the Qatari
prime minister simply said that the matter had been touched on during
their meeting.

Later, foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis and her Qatari counterpart
signed a dual taxation avoidance agreement, while deputy foreign
minister Petros Doukas signed a cooperation agreement in health and
medical sciences.

In the morning, Karamanlis inaugurated a meeting of the Greek-Qatari
Business Forum.

In a brief greeting, Karamanlis said that his visit to Qatar underlined
the importance placed by Greece on further strengthening of their
bilateral relations, and aspired to greater development of economic
cooperation.

He noted that Qatar was among the countries with the largest economic
growth and high per capital income, whereas Greece was the steam engine
of the economy of Southeast Europe.

In a reference to the international financial crisis, Karamanlis
stressed that the governments must not look on passively, but rather
encourage investments and advance growth. He noted that his visit to
Qatar served that purpose, by enhancing the investment prospects of
both countries.

He further said that the Greek government has taken all the measures
necessary to face the crisis, and was closely monitoring the situation
in order to react immediately if necessary.

President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on Sunday attended official
celebrations marking the 96th anniversary of Thessaloniki's liberation
from Ottoman rule, and the feast day of the city's patron Saint
Demetrios.

The celebrations commenced with a doxology, after which national
defence minister Evangelos Meimarakis, who represented the government,
noted that the anniversary "reminds us of one of the most glorious
pages or our history".

Main opposition PASOK MP Haris Katanidis said that the anniversary of
the liberation of Thessaloniki posed an opportunity to think again of
the need for liberation of the people's expectations, in other words
the advent of a better future for the citizens and the country, while
fellow PASOK MP Yiannis Magriotis said that the citizens demand change,
and an exit from the crisis to which ruling New Democracy government's
policy was leading.

Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) leader George Karatzaferis stressed that
this was a great day for Thessaloniki and Macedonia, adding that 'we
must all take care to safeguard the grandness of this celebration in
the future".